The invention relates to an installation device for compression sleeves of the type as disclosed in principle in DE 103 55 986 for the local enclosure of a blood vessel for example for supporting a body internal vein valve, including a guide structure for the blood vessel and means for applying the compression sleeve.
Weak tissue areas in the human body, particularly of blood vessels lead with increasing age to significant vessel expansions. This effect becomes particularly pronounced if the vein valve systems in the blood circuit have been expanded to such an extent that they don't function any more as unidirectional valves (check valves or one way valves) so that reflux occurs and the individual blood vessels are subjected to additional fluid pressure stresses.
Without treatment, this effect results in a massive formation of varicose veins, particularly in the legs of a person. This formation begins first with a vessel expansion particularly in weak or resilient tissue areas such as the vein walls. Later also the vein valves also for example in the pelvic area may expand and, in time, generally fail. Finally, enhanced by gravity, a blood backup and pressure stresses occur resulting in further expansions in the veins of the legs. The expansion of the veins (dilatations) results first in varicose veins and later in open wounds on the legs.
For an effective or preventative treatment of varicose veins, a maintenance or restitution of functional veins and vein valves is very important. Ideally the dilation of veins or vein valves should be counteracted early preferably by a reinforcement of the tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,014 discloses several embodiments of a support sleeve for blood vessels all of which have a tubular form. Consequently, the blood vessel must be inserted through the sleeve for which purpose it needs to be cut. Also, the support sleeves are not designed for a fast over growth by the tissue.
As described in DE 103 55 986 this disadvantage can be avoided by the use of an improved compression sleeve which consists essentially of an elastically bendable mat of a biocompatible material (for example, titanium, nickel-titanium alloys). With this mat, a blood vessel is enveloped in a locally delimited area, preferably in the area of weakened vein tissue or of a vein valve. The blood vessel no longer needs to be cut in the procedure. In a particular embodiment, a super-elastic pretension of the mat is sufficient for reliably containing a blood vessel.
Based hereon, it is the object of the present invention to provide a device for the application of such a super-elastic compression sleeve which permits surgical operation for the installation of such a mat in a relatively unobjectionable manner.